Pharmaceutical Project Manager in Kankakee

Introduction

Visium Resources has been asked to identify qualified candidates for this full time position. The position is a direct hire for a pharmaceutical consulting company and is onsite at one of their customers in Kankakee, IL.

We are seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager / PMO leader with a strong background in engineering or scientific disciplines and proven delivery experience within the pharmaceutical or biotech industry. This role is responsible for leading complex, cross‑functional CAPEX projects (manufacturing, laboratories, utilities, engineering, construction) utilizing the best PMO standards, governance, and execution discipline.

Must be a US or US Permanent.

This is a hands‑on leadership role—not purely administrative—requiring ownership of project outcomes, stakeholder alignment, and technical understanding of regulated environments.

• Lead end‑to‑end execution of capital projects within pharmaceutical manufacturing and laboratories, from inception/business case development through to project execution and closure.
• Manage many projects simultaneously (typically three to four), ranging between $1-10M, with occasional larger projects.
• Manage scope, schedule, cost, and quality across multiple concurrent projects; provide regular status updates and reporting.
• Drive project planning (charters, schedules, resource plans) and ensure realistic execution strategies.
• Identify risks early and proactively manage mitigation plans in regulated environments; elevate and resolve issues proactively.
• Document, manage, and monitor action items, issues, decisions, and risks.

• Utilize world‑class PMO best practices, tools, and reporting structures for executing capital projects.
• Work with project controls specialists on schedule tracking, cost forecasting, and change management.
• Lead stage‑gate processes aligned with GMP and validation requirements.
• Provide portfolio‑level visibility to leadership (KPIs, dashboards, resource loading).

• Interface and manage many stakeholders including engineering, construction, manufacturing, EHS, IT, QA, QC, Regulatory, maintenance, and calibration in a high‑paced manufacturing environment.
• Act as the central point of coordination between internal stakeholders and external vendors/contractors.
• Manage third‑party engineering firms, system integrators, and construction partners.

• Ensure projects align with U.S. Food and Drug Administration expectations and GMP requirements.
• Oversee validation lifecycle activities (IQ/OQ/PQ), commissioning, and documentation readiness.
• Maintain audit‑ready project documentation.

• Communicate effectively with senior leadership and site‑level teams.
• Translate technical issues into business impacts and actionable decisions.
• Drive accountability across teams without direct authority.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Life Sciences, Scientific, or related field.
• Advanced degree (MBA, MS) is a plus.

• PMP (Project Management Professional) – Project Management Institute.

• 8-15+ years of project management experience.
• 5+ years within pharmaceutical, biotech, or life sciences environments.
• Demonstrated experience delivering capital projects, validation, manufacturing or compliance initiatives.
• Experience working within or alongside a formal PMO.

• Strong understanding of GMP, validation, and regulated project environments.
• Familiarity with systems such as MES, LIMS, ERP (e.g., SAP), or automation platforms is highly desirable, but not required.
• Experience with engineering design, construction, or process scale‑up is highly desirable, but not required.

• Strong execution mindset (not just reporting).
• Ability to manage ambiguity and drive decisions.
• High accountability and ownership of outcomes.
• Commercial awareness (cost, ROI, timelines).
• Ability to challenge stakeholders constructively.
• Multitasking, escalating, reporting, tracking, documentation.
• Working in a fast‑paced environment in a large organization.

Visium Resources is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.